Internal combustion engine



Nov. 12, 1963 w. KAUFFMANN ETAL 3,110,297

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Oct. 10, 1962 8?- ILH z; 4 3 1 Q o m m 3 F. 2/ O 22 n m n 5 3w 1 O 42 m; w an 1 2 u FIG.

WILLIAM M. KAUFFMANN JOHN E. WHEELER INVENTORS I y W 6- United States Patent 3,11%,297 INTERNAL C(BMBUSTION ENGINE Wiiliam M. Kauffmann, Hamburg, and John E. Wheeler, Bui'falo, N.Y., assignors to Worthington Corporation, Harrison, N .J., a corporation of Delaware Filed Get. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 229,648 Claims. (Cl. 123-169) The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine and more particularly to means for preventing contamination of the means for igniting the working fluid.

It was found during the operation of internal combustion engines that contamination of the means for igniting the worikng fluid caused adverse eflects.

More particularly high voltage potential was required to fire the working fluid in high compression spark ignition engines operating with 11.5 to 12.5 compression ratios and firing pressures in the range of 850 to 1,000 p.s.i.

Contaminants such as oil vapors and combustible gases tarnished or coated the critical surfaces of the means for igniting the working fluid to cause the objectionable defects.

The present invention overcomes the above defects with the provision of a fluid tight vessel mews in which is mounted the means for igniting the working fluid such as a spark plug which prevents entry of the contaminants. Additionally the invention provides a construction which uses high pressure fluid to fill the vessel to coact in further precluding the contamination of the means for igniting the working fluid.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the operating diificulties which result from contamination of the means for igniting the working fluid.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved internal combustion engine.

It is a further object to provide a fluid tight chamber in which is mounted the means for igniting the working fluid and surrounding these means with a fluid medium that resists the effects contaminants have on engine operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention including the basic design and the nature of the improvements thereon will appear from the following description taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic fragmentary view, partly in section, of an internal combustion engine embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view showing a modification of a portion of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the pressurizing means of the present invention.

The drawings are to be understood to be more or less of a diagrammatic character for the purpose of illustrating and disclosing a typical or preferred form of the improvements contemplated herein and in the drawings like reference characters identify the same parts in the several views.

Referring to the exemplary embodiment of the invention in FIGURE 1, there is shown a portion of an internal combustion engine generally designated 10. The cylinder liner 11 and closure or head 12 mounted on the cylinder liner coact to form the combustion space 13. The usual piston 14 is reciprocated in the combustion space 13 to convert the working energy of the burned fluid to mechanical energy. Working fluid as is customary is provided to the combustion chamber through valves or ports not shown.

The head 12 includes a cavity 15 having a first opening 16 at the top portion and a second opening 17 at the bottom portion. Opening 17 is in communication with the combustion space 13, the purpose of which will become apparent from the portion of the description which follows.

By providing an inturned annular flange 18 at the bottom of the head 12 the dimension of opening 17 is less than the dimension of opening 16. Flange 18 also serves as a seat for the fluid tight vessel 19 which is mounted in the cavity 15.

A flange 20 near the top of the fluid tight vessel provides means for fixedly mounting same to the head 12 as by bolt members 21.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1 the fluid tight vessel 19 is shown as being of two-piece construction and comprising a first member 22 having a closure 23 threadably connected to the first member and forming a fluid tight chamber 24. A plug 25 is threadably mounted in the closure 23 and includes a bore 26 in which is mounted an insulator 27. The insulator which may be of ceramic material serves as a means for holding the extension 28. Extension '28 is disposed through the plug and enters the chamber 24 as is clearly shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings. The upper portion 29 of the extension is formed for easy connection with a clip fitting of an electrical connector (not shown). The end 30 of the extension is slotted as at 31 so that the extension can be press fitted into a coupling means 32.

An opening 33 at the bottom of the fluid tight vessel communicates with the combustion chamber through the second opening 17 in the head 12.

Means for igniting combustible fluids taking the form of a sparkplug 34 is threadably connected into the opening 33 of the fluid tight vessel. The upper end of the spark plug as at 35 is threadably connected into the coupling means 32 for electrical connection with the extension 28.

The spark plug 34- is spaced from the combustion chamber 1-3 as by an extension 36 of the fluid tight vessel as shown in FIGURE 1 or by inturned flange 36 of the head 12 as is shown in FIGURE 2 to provide a means of obtaining cooler operation.

Seals 37, 37' and 37 are provided at joints between the vessel and head, spark plug and vessel and between the closure and first member respectively to prevent entry of contaminants and the like into the chamber 24. The sealing ring 38 is disposed between the ceramic insert 27 and the plug 25 to maintain the extension in operative position.

While the above description indicates that the head and fluid tight vessel are separate and distinct elements, it is obvious that they could be formed as integral members all within the skill of a technician in this art.

The source of compressed fluid which is in the vicinity of psi. is connnected to the opening 40 in the top of the fluid tight vessel. Air or nitrogen or other inert fluids may be used as the source being supplied to chamber 24.

In FIGURE 3 there is shown a schematic diagram of one approach in providing pressurized fluid to the chamber 24 which will prevent the entry of contaminants into the chamber 24 to interfere with proper ignition. A source of compressed fluid is connected to conduit 41 which is disposed in a receiver 4-2. Receiver 42 is connected to the opening 41} by a manifolding line generally designated 43. A regulator 44 and filter 45 are disposed in the line 4 3 to provide the required pressure and degree of purity to the fluid being passed to the chamber 24.

It is obvious that the above arrangement can be applied to one or more cylinders of an internal combustion engine.

Although this invention has been described with reference to specific apparatus it will be appreciated that a wide variety of changes may be made within the ability of one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this invention. For example, some of the components of the apparatus may be reversed, certain features of the invention may be used independently of others, and equivalents may be substituted for the apparatus, all Within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a spark ignited internal combustion engine including means forming a cylinder, a head memher on the cylinder and coacting With said cylinder to define a combustion chamber, a Working fluid source connected to said combustion chamber, said head member including a cavity having a first opening at one end and a second opening at the opposite end and said second opening being of smaller dimension than said first opening and said second opening communicating with said combustion chamber, a fluid tight vessel mounted in said cavity, said fluid tight vessel including an opening communicating with said combustion chamber through the second opening, and a spark plug mounted in said opening in the vessel for igniting working fluid in the combustion chamber.

2. In combination, a spark ignited internal combustion engine including means forming a cylinder, a head member on the cylinder and coacting With said cylinder to define a combustion chamber, a working fluid source connected to said combustion chamber, said head member including a cavity having a first opening at one end and a second opening at the opposite end and said second opening being of smaller dimension than said first opening and said second opening communicating with said combustion chamber, a fluid tight vessel mounted in said cavity and said fluid tight vessel including an opening communicating With said combustion chamber through the second opening, a spark plug mounted in said opening in the fluid tight vessel for igniting Working fluid in the combustion chamber, and means connected to said fluid tight vessel for passing pressure fluid thereto to prevent contamination of said spark plug.

3. The combination claimed in claim2 wherein said fluid tight vessel comprises a first member having a closure threadably connected thereto to form a fluid tight chamber there'm, said closure including an opening, a plug mounted in the opening of the closure, an extension passing through said plug and into said chamber, a spark plug threadably mounted in the opening in the fluid tight vessel, a coupling means interconnecting said extension and spark plug, and said extension connected to a source of current.

4. The combination claimed in claim 3 wherein said extension is press fitted in said coupling means at one end and said spark plug is threadably connected to said coupling means at the other opposite end.

5. The combination claimed in claim 2 wherein said vessel includes means for spacing said spark plug a predetermined distance from said combustion chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,754,796 McElroy Apr. 15, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS 720,374 France Dec. 3, 1931 647,165 Germany June 29, 1937 404,150 Italy May 22, 1943 

1. IN COMBINATION, A SPARK IGNITED INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE INCLUDING MEANS FORMING A CYLINDER, A HEAD MEMBER ON THE CYLINDER AND COACTING WITH SAID CYLINDER TO DEFINE A COMBUSTION CHAMBER, A WORKING FLUID SOURCE CONNECTED TO SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER, SAID HEAD MEMBER INCLUDING A CAVITY HAVING A FIRST OPENING AT ONE END AND A SECOND OPENING AT THE OPPOSITE END AND SAID SECOND OPENING BEING OF SMALLER DIMENSION THAN SAID FIRST OPENING AND SAID SECOND OPENING COMMUNICATING WITH SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER, A FLUID TIGHT VESSEL MOUNTED IN SAID CAVITY, SAID FLUID TIGHT VESSEL INCLUDING AN OPENING COMMUNICATING WITH SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER THROUGH THE SECOND OPENING, AND A SPARK PLUG MOUNTED IN SAID OPEN- 